Lamp.



E. H. FORD.

LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1909.

Batented Jan. 2, 1912.

.. x yvl l l o l l l l I l l l l I l l l ll lll /V/ 1,1/ 1/ IVIIITVZ/1,1/ 1,1/ l I/1/ l Z l /1/ lI S ,A AEN vl.

EDWIN H. FORD, OF HARTFORD CITY, INDIANA..

LAMP.

Laissez.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented aan. a, rara.

Application filed July 9, 1909. Serial No. 506,796.

' in northern countries where low temperaf tures prevail the meters areplaced at from six to seven feet-below the surface of the ground. Atthese depths the reading of the meters is seriously interfered with onaccount of darkness, caused by the small dimensions of the meter boxes.This invention relates to a lamp, adapted to be used in reading meterslocated within water and gas boxes; and the object of the invention isto provide a lamp which may be readily suspended from the 4tops of theboxes and maybe extended `to accommodate boxes of different lengths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp which may beadjusted so as to direct the rays of light upon the dials of the meters,and a still further objectis to provide means for enlarging the dials sothat the readings can be easily taken bythe attendant from the surfaceof the ground.

1 accomplish the objects of the invention by means of the lampillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, inwhich f Figure 1 is a vertical section through a meter box located inthe ground, and showing the lamp in operating position therein. Figs. 2,3 and 4, are enlarged sectional, detail views of the lamp. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail sectional view of a portion of a lamp frame showing themanner in which the electrical connections between the extensible partsare made Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of theconstruction shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation oftheconstruction shown in Fig. 4.

F ig. 8 is a fragmentary detail plan View in Fig. 2.

The lamp consists of a frame or handle comprising twol hollow tubes 1and 2, which are telescoped together, so that the handle may be extendedor contracted in meter boxes of dierent lengths. The member 2 of thehandle, which is the larger and outer of the lower end of the batterybox shown permit the ears 5 to pass, and the'plate is lthen given apartial turn so as to remove the notches 7 from the said ears. A springl10 is interposed between the end plate 6 and the battery 4f, and the,|purpose of this spring is to keep the said bl'attery in contact with thepost-,11. and also ,toprevent vibration and rattling of said batterywithin .the box. The post 11 is mounted in an insulated plate A1,2 so asto prevent the handle and box 3 from becoming charged with electricity.Located within the member 2 of the handle is the longitudinal rod 15adapted to' convey the electricity from the battery to theelectric bulb.The rod 15 is insulated from the tube 2, at one end by means of theinsulated plate 12 and the other end by means of the insulation 16,-(see Fig. l5) the insulation 16 being in the form of a cylinder whichis rigidly held within the end of the tube 1 by means of the pin orscrew 17. See Fig. 6. The rod 15 throughout the tube 2, provides the`means for conveying the current through said tube.

The handle is capable of being extended in the following manner withoutbreaking the electric circuit. I provide a U-shaped wire 20 which passesthrough the insulation 16, and the closed end of the wire is bent toform a recess to partially embrace the rod 15 (see Fig. 5), so that acontinued sliding Contact between the wire 20 and the rod 15 ismaintained. The two ends of the wire 2O are enlarged by the formation ofeyes to prevent accidental displacement of said wire from the insulation16. Connected to one end of thewire 2O is the wire 22 which extendsthrough the tube 1 and connects with a small lamp socket 26a, which isinsulated from the tube 1 by means of in-v sulation 26", adapted toreceive a small incandescent globe or bulb, of well known construction.The lamp socket 26a is adjustably mounted on the tube 1 by means of theside bars 26 and the thumb nuts 27.

This construction, as clearly shown in Fig.

1 of the drawings, permits the lamp to setA electric bulb is inclosed bymeans of the re- Hector 25 which is provided with the inagi-` .nifyinglens 29, the two adapted to intensify `the light. The reflector 25terminates in a'- sleeve 25 which slips over the lamp socket 26, andsaidsleeve is provided at diametrically opposite sides with the slots 25which permity the 'end of the sleeve 25- to pass under the thumb nuts27. `This con` struction will admit off-the sleeve 25 being clamped fastto the lamp socket 26 when Athe thumb nuts 27 are' turned to lock thesocket 26 beween the side bars 26, heretofore mentioned. Mountedimmediately vabove the reflector and u on the `tube lv -is the collar 30adapted to orm a bearing for the magnifying Aglass 31. The collar 3025'4 is adjustable on said tube, so as to properly focus vthe glass 31upon the dials- 'of the meters,land the said collar may besecured at thedesired position on said tube l byl means of the set screw 32. i

ln order to close the circuit, l provide the lever 35 which is secured'to the rod 15,

the latter being made of spring materialv so that said 'lever standsnormally outl of 'engagement with the post 11. Contact of the 35lever35' and post'ls'made by' forcing, the

former into contact with the latter. As soon as the hand is removed theleveiwz will move away from the post 11 to break the electricalconnection sothat the life'of both 40 the' battery land electric bulb ismaterially extended. The electric circuit throughout -thelamp may betraced substantially as fol-- glows: When the lever 35 is moved intocontact with the postyll the current passes from lthe cellllthrough thepost 11 and lever 35,

-thence along the rod 15, wires 20 and 22 and then through the bulb fromwhence it 4passes to the telescoped tubesfl and 2, battery box 3, andthence'throu'gh the spring -10V back to the cell 4:.' I also-provide'the lamp with a rest post or pin 36 which is mounted in theinsulated plate 12 and adjacent to the lever 35. This post prevents thelever 35 from l being pressed into engageinent with the post 11 in casetheY operator, for any reason, should rest this end of the lamp on theground.

Having thus fullydescribed my said in-l vention, what I' desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is y 1.- A lamp of the above specified classincluding a handle composed of a plurality of hollow members telescopedtogether, a metallicrod rigidly arranged within and eX- -tendingthelength of the outer member of the handle, saidrod -being insulated fromsaid handle, means arranged withinpthe second member of the handle totake over and insulate said rod from the said lastmentioned member,insulated wires extending through said second member of the handle andconnecting with the lamp socket, an electric'bulb, a flexible meansadapted to permit of a sliding contact between said' metallic rod andsaid wires, abattery, and means adapted to open and close the electriccircuit between said battery and `electric bulb. I

2. A lamp of the above specified class including a handle composed of-aplurality of .hollow members telescoped together, a metallic rod rigidlyarranged withinand extending the' length of the outer member of thehandle, said rod being insulated from said handle, means arranged withinthe second member of the handle to take over and in- .sulate said rodfrom the saidlast mentioned member, means on said rod to preventaccidental separation between the handle members, insulated wiresextending'through said second handle member iand connecting with thelamp socket, an electric bulb, a iexible means adapted to permit of asliding contact with said metallic rod and said wires, a battery, andmeans adapted to open and close the electric circuit between saidbattery and electric bulb. In witness whereof, l, havehereunto set myhand and seal at Indianapolis, indiana, lthis 14th day of June, A. D.one thousand 100 nine hundred and nine.

EDWIN H. FORD. [1.. s.)

